Religious Right Watch: Sarah Palin At A Glance

Gov. Sarah Palin isn’t talking about her faith – or anything else,
for that matter, in the last few days – but that hasn’t stopped the
media from digging into her religious background, which has been hailed
by the religious right as an impetus for social conservatives to support Sen.
John McCain. Palin certainly hits all the high notes on issues
concerning the religious right. But while that support from the
religious right has been huge, Palin has also suffered some criticism
from members of the pro-family movement.

The two main churches in Palin’s life are very conservative and have generated a great deal of controversy.

Palin attended the Wasilla Assembly of God for most of her life. The
church is Pentecostal and many members are said to "speak in tongues,"
a fluent uttering of unintelligible speech as part of religious custom.
The practice is based on the experience of Jesus Christ’s apostles who
were said on the Pentecost to have spoken in languages unknown to them
but recognizable to native speakers. Leaders of the church believe that
the end of the world is near and that Alaska will be a refuge for North
Americans when, they believe, Jesus will return to Earth.

"I believe that Alaska is one of the ‘refuge states’ – come on, you
guys – in the Last Days," said pastor Ed Kalnin while standing next to
Palin at June event. "And hundreds of thousands of people are going to
come to this state to seek refuge. And the church has to be ready to
minister to them."

When Palin became active in state politics, her family left their
lifelong church to move to the conservative, but not so high profile,
Wasilla Bible Church. But even that church has provided some surprises.

Palin sat in church a few weeks ago while a representative of Jews for Jesus preached that terrorist attacks on Israel are God’s judgment against Jews for not being Christians.

"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the
newspapers and on the television," said David Brickner, executive
director of Jews for Jesus. "It’s very real. When [Brickner’s son] was
in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of
that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer
and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people.
Judgment – you can’t miss it."

Palin’s pastor confirmed that she was in the audience that Sunday.

Alaska taxpayers footed the bill
for Palin to return to her church of origin and talk with students who
had recently graduated from a religious program there. At Wasilla
Assembly of God, Palin gave an impromptu speech about needing prayers
from church members in order to do her job as governor. Palin was clear
about mixing politics and religion during the speech, which is
currently circulating on the Internet.

Where does Palin stand on issues important to the religious right?

Iraq War: Palin believes that God is behind the
Iraq war. She told the Wasilla Bible Church graduates that “our
leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a
task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we’re
praying for — that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan.”

Abortion: Palin told anti-abortion activists in 2007 that she needed their help to “reshape the judiciary” in Alaska to help overturn Roe v. Wade, a move that even some anti-abortion activists found to be too extreme.

Creationism: When running for governor, Palin advocated teaching creationism alongside evolution in science classrooms. “Teach both,” she said.
“You know, don’t be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so
important, and it’s so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of
teaching both.”

She did backtrack, though, later saying, “It doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.”

Gay rights: Palin supported a constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples in Alaska and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state Supreme Court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees.

Her current church is promoting
a Focus on the Family conference dedicated to the discredited practice
of “curing” homosexuality. The church flier reads, “You’ll be
encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the
lives of those impacted by homosexuality.”

Palin has even engendered fanatical support. One fan is praying for McCain’s death so Palin can run the country. Here’s his wish list:

1. Vote Constitution Party. (I vote my conscience and cannot support McCain even with Palin.)
2. Pray for Sarah Palin to win. (I am an idealist, but also a realist!)
3. Pray for John McCain’s salvation and speedy death. (Google The
Forerunner’s articles on Imprecatory Prayer if you think this is harsh.)

But not every social conservative finds Palin to be palatable.
Some think Palin’s priorities are wrong: a woman who with an infant son
with special needs should not be running for vice president. Dr. Laura Schlessinger:

I’m stunned — couldn’t the Republican Party find one
competent female with adult children to run for Vice President with
McCain? I realize his advisors probably didn’t want a “mature” woman,
as the Democrats keep harping on his age. But really, what kind of role
model is a woman whose fifth child was recently born with a serious
issue, Down Syndrome, and then goes back to the job of Governor within
days of the birth?

I am haunted by the family pictures of the Palins during political
photo ops, showing the eldest daughter, now pregnant with her own
child, cuddling the family’s newborn.

As a concerned disabled American Veteran and American citizen, I consider it my duty and responsibility to address the following critical issues facing the voters of our Greatgrand nation, the United States of America [USA].

The citizens of the United States of America [USA] have the ultimate power and responsibility to elect the Right Ticket with the right joint “temperament, judgement, and statesmanship” to lead our nation as well as change our nation’s present and future moral, political, economic, educational, health care, energy, military, and foundational soul.
In my firm professional, personal, and political opinion, the media should help the common voter to explore and discuss the following attributes of the present Republican and Democratic presidential slates:
1. Does the joint ticket have a calm, cool, and collected ” temper and impulse” [Presidential Temperament]?
2. Does each ticket have sound and sustained “Judgment and Caliber”?
3. Does each ticket have a “presidential depth and degree” in regard to their purpose, policies, and positions?
4. Does each ticket have adequate, “understanding and knowledge” of workings around Washington”?
5. Does each ticket have enough “vigor, wisdom and Vision” for the future of our beloved Great-grand Nation?
6. Does each ticket possess enough joint foreign policy experience and exposure based on “American Values, Virtues, Vastness, and strong soul”?
7. Are their campaign talk, slogans, ads, plans, and programs based on facts and are they free of fear, fiction, frivolous labels, unfair attacks, negativity, and impulsivity? [Danger to country and countries mission[s].
8. Does the ticket keep country or politics first? [McCain stole Obama’s change and is running with it.]

As a Independent registered voter I have decided to vote for the Obama-Biden ticket. I am sure they will protect our national security, strengths, stamina and soul as well as rebuild our nation from the bottom up in all areas of need. The OBAMA-BIDEN ticket will restore our global standing with the use of maximum, firm international diplomacy and minimal force if and when indicated.

PS: This nation will not buy into the kitchen sink strategy. We are getting deeper into internal and external holes through these attacks and the world is laughing at us as they enjoy our partisan Pitt Bull wounds. I am sure the collective deceptive measures of the GOP, RNC, FOX, RUSH, ROVE, McCain, and his surrogates will fail to deprive American voters of their deserved leadership. Media stop cultural divide and wars.

invalid-0

I am surprised that you would vote for someone that doesn’t even like the country that you fought for. Obama is a joke to the rest of the world and that is what they want – a pushover, which is all Obama is…

As far as leadership… Obama and Biden are the weakest individuals I have ever seen as they stand for nothing.

You seem smarter than this, sir!

invalid-0

If you think that ol’ swollen jaw John is the right one to lead, you are nuts as well. Where is all the experience and leadership in the republican nominee’s resume? Cindy better watch out – I predict that within 6 months S.J.J. McCain will leave her for Palin.